Book Review: Drawing Amanda by Stephanie Feuer

This book is like the perfect example of what could go wrong when chatting online with strangers. And  even more when the targets are kids and teens. It’s so easy to feel comfortable sitting behind a computer and pouring your heart out to someone else without having to look at their reactions, but you may never know what their full intentions are until it’s too late sometimes.

This happens to both Inky and Amanda as they struggle to find an escape from their pains and troubles. When they find out about “Megaland”, an interactive game in development for girls, they feel the developer truly understands them and are willing to help him out with his game. Inky doesn’t know Amanda is using the game too since they didn’t know each other that well at first, and as he starts having feelings for her (and she hints that she thinks he is the developer of Megaland) Inky and his friend Rungs start to realize that they may have stepped into a dangerous trap.

While Inky and Amanda were great characters that I wouldn’t mind getting to know better another time because they’re smart and talented kids, I think Rungs is the special character that needs to be credited. He was the one that managed to uncover the whole deal behind Megaland with his amazing computer skills and, in my opinion, the true hero of this story. Without him, I shudder to think about what could have happened to Amanda, and Inky for that matter.

I’m really pleased with how this book turned out to be. I think the author and the illustrator both did a great job with Drawing Amanda that from now on I’ll be paying close attention to what they do next. A big thumbs up and a yes! to “Do I recommend this book?“.